Drip-pan controller.



F. W. HOWDEN.

DRIP PAN CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I2, 1916.

LQQQjYG L, Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

' WITNESSES: IIVI/E/VTOR ATTORNEY.

F; W. HOWDEN.

DRIP PAN CONTROLLER.

APPLlCATlON FILED lUNE 12. I916.

Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES:

A TTOR/VE Y,

FRED V7. HOVTDEN, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

DRIP-PAN CONTROLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1?, 191%.

Application filed June 12, 1916. Serial No. 103,312.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED W. HOWDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drip-Pan Controllers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for controlling drip pans for refrigerators and other structures having drain pipes not connected to a sewer, and my principal object is to provide novel means whereby a drip pan can be placed in and removed from position beneath the structure without requiring the operator to kneel upon the floor and reach beneath said structure.

Other objects will hereinafter appear, and in order that the invention may be fully understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator equipped with my invention.

Fig. 2- is a broken side elevation, partly in section, of the refrigerator equipped with the device.

Fig. 3 is an irregular horizontal section on line TTIIII of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the various parts, A

designates a refrigerator of the modern domestic type in which the sides and ends terminate close to the floor and the lower front portion of which has a door B, through which access may be had to the usual drip pan D. When the drip pan is placed upon the floor in the usual manner,

' it is necessary to stoop down or get upon the knees, lift the door B, and reach beneath the refrigerator to gain access to the drip pan for the purpose of emptying the same. By the use of my device, the drip pan may be placed in or removed from position beneath the refrigerator by a person standing in an erect position. as the device is capable of controlling the drip pan and also automatically opens the door B preparatory to removing the drip pan from beneath the refrigerator.

As disclosed by Figs. 2 and 3, the drip pan D is supported by a shelf 1, fixed at one end to a short vertical shaft 2, journaled in a bracket 3, fixed to the bottom E and one of the side walls of the refrigerator. Fingers 1 are applied to the top of the shelf to prevent lateral movement of the pan D thereon.

5 designates a connecting rod pivoted at one end to a boss 4 and at its opposite end to a crank 6. The boss 4 is fixed to the underside of the shelf 1 at a point adjacent the shaft 2, while the crank 6 is fixed to the lower end of a vertical shaft 7 journaled in bearings 8, and provided at its upper end with a fixedly-mounted handle 9. The bearings S are secured to the front wall of the refrigerator and the uppermost bearing 8 has an upturned stop 10 for the handle 9 to abut after the shelf 1 has been swung below the drain pipe C, as disclosed by Figs 2 and 3.

11 designates a door-opener consisting of an arm pivoted at its rear end to a post 12 extending upwardly from the shelf 1 from a point adjacent the boss 4. The forward end of said door opener 11 extends through a guide l1 secured to the bottom E of the refrigerator at a point adjacent the door B, which has a wear-plate 13 for the dooropener to abut.

14 designates a self-closing valve for 010s ing the lower end. of the drain pipe C. so that water cannot drip upon the floor when the drip pan D is removed from beneath said drain pipe. The valve 14 is pivotallymounted in a bracket 15 and has a downwardly depending arm 16 extending into the path of the shelf 1, so that when the same swings inwardly it impinges against said arm and opens the valve 14. A spring 17 abutting the valve 14; and the back wall of the refrigerator serves to automatically close said valve when the shelf 1 is swung outwardly therefrom.

In practice the shelf 1 is swung outward to the dotted position, Figs. 2 and 3, when it is desired to place the drip pan D thereon or to empty said pan, the shelf being moved outwardly by rotating the shaft 7 and the crank 6, which latter pulls upon the connecting-rod 5 and causes the same to swing the shelf 1 outwardly as above-mentioned. As the shelf 1 swings outwardly it carries the door-opener 11 therewith, which impinges against the wear-plate 13 and raises the door to the dotted position, Fig. 2, so that the shelf 1 and the drip pan D may pass outwardly from beneath the refrigerator. The outward movement of the shelf 1 also releases the valve 14, so that the spring 17 is free to instantly close said valve against the lower end of the drain pipe C to seal the same. The shelf 1 and the pan D are swung backward by reversing the above operation after the pan has been emptied. By referring to Fig. 3, it will be noted that the pivotal connection 18 between the crank 6 and the connecting-rod 5 swings past an imaginary line intersecting the axis of the shaft 7 and the boss 4:, thereby locking the shelf 1 against the depending arm 16 of the valve 14, and overcoming the outward pressureof the spring 17 From the foregoing description, it is apparent that I have produced a simple and inexpensive device possessing the advantages above enumerated, and while I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, I reserve the right to make such changes in the construction, combination,-and arrangementof parts as properly fall within the spirit and scope of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination with a structure having a drain pipe at its underside, a valve for closing said drain pipe, means for supporting a drip pan beneath'said drain pipe and holding the valve open, and actuating means for the supporting means, whereby the same may be caused to hold the drip pan beneath the drain pipe or remove said drip pan from beneath the drain pipe and the structure.

2. In combination with a structure having a drain pipe at its underside, means for supporting a drip pan beneath said drain pipe, a hand controlled shaft mounted in front of the structure, and mechanism connecting said shaft and the drip pan supporting means whereby the same may be caused to hold the drip pan beneath the drain pipe, or remove said drip pan from beneath the drain pipe and the structure by proper manipulw tion of the shaft.

3. In combination with a structure having a drain pipe leading from its underside and a door mounted at its lower portion, means for supporting a drip pan beneath said drain pipe, means controlled by said supporting means for opening the door, and actuating means whereby the supporting means may be positioned to hold the drip pan beneath the drain pipe or remove said drip pan from beneath the drain pipe and the structure.

4:. In combination with a structure having a drain pipe leading from its underside, a self-closing valve for closing the end of said drain pipe, a swingable shelf adapted to hold said valve open and support a drip pan beneath the drain pipe, and actuating means whereby said shelf maybe positioned to hold the drip pan beneath the drain pipe or'remove said drip pan from beneath the drain pipe and the structure.

5. In combination with a structure having a drain pipe leading from its underside and a door at its lower portion, a pivotallymounted shelf for supporting a drip pan beneath said drain pipe, a door opener Qarried by said shelf for opening the door at the lower portion of the structure, and actuating means whereby the shelf may be adj usted to hold the drip pan beneath the drain pipe or remove said drip pan from beneath the drain pipe and the structure.

(3. In combination'witha structure having a drain pipe leading from its underside and a door mounted at its lower portion, means for supporting a drip pan beneath said drain pipe, a post mounted on the supporting means, an arm pivoted to said post and adapted to open the door, a guide for said arm, and actuating means whereby the supporting means may be positioned to hold the drip pan beneath the drain pipe or remove said drip pan from beneath the drain pipe and the structure.

7. In combination with a structure having a drain pipe leading from its lower portion, amovable shelf for supporting a drip pan beneath said drain pipe. a connecting-rod pivoted to said shelf, a crank pivoted to said connecting-rod, a vertical shaft fixed at its lower end to said crank,bearings on one of the walls of the structure in whichsaid shaft is journaled, a handle fixed to the upper end of said shaft to actuate the same, and a stop on one of the bearings against which the 7 handle is adapted to abut.

In testimony whereofIaftix my signature in the presence ,of two witnesses 7 V FRED W. HOWDEN.

Witnesses I F. G. Freeman, L. J. Frsonnn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the fflominissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 7 I 

